Tenley Louise || 7 Months Old

Oh Sweet Loulie, 7 months come and gone!  Gosh you are a sweet baby - everyone says that so it's not just me being biased!  You are always SO darn happy, you flash that sweet smile to everyone you see!

Just last week at Aiden's ball game cousin Jeri, without knowing she was doing it, taught you how to clap and now it is non-stop clapping from you!  Your claps make the sweetest little pat-pat sound, melts my heart into a little tiny puddle of love!  You clap while eating, clap while laying flat on your tummy (that's quite the talent I must say!), clap when being held, clap when laying in bed, clap, clap, clap!  But as soon as I put the phone in front of you to record the clapping it ceases and you just smile at me. :)

You are a very good little eater, Lou.  I'm shocked but you are my first baby to like peas!  You've never gagged over them like your brothers did.  You love green beans, sweet potatoes, carrots, all the fruits we've tried ... so far you are not a picky eater!  We started off feeding you half a container of food in the evenings, quickly moved that up to a whole container in the evenings and now you eat a whole container twice a day - once first thing in the morning and the other time in the evening.  You are still drinking 6 oz. bottles, about 5 a day.  Any time I think you might be ready for 8 oz. you waste 2.  In the past few days you've started opening your mouth for the food, kind of like a baby bird, which makes it much easier to get the food where we want it - in your tummy!

You are still taking a morning, afternoon and evening nap.  If it wasn't for having to go take care of Aiden's darn sheep we'd have a pretty good schedule of 9:00, 1:00 and 5:00 down, but driving out there twice a day has that a tad messed up.  You take it all in stride though!  While at the farm you sit in your car seat looking around and babbling to yourself, the sheep and the shade tree I set you under.  Night time you sleep well with a few exceptions - once in a while you'll half way wake up, usually around 4:00, and sometime needs a pacifier to go back to sleep.  Other times you soothe yourself. And with the sun shining so bright so early in the morning it's near impossible to get you to sleep past 6:00!  Some mornings it's 5:15 when I hear you singing to yourself.  I'm wondering if I can cut out your evening nap, maybe that will help you sleep until 7:00.  ???

The love affair continues between you and your brothers!  You are each other's biggest fans!  Nothing makes my heart happier than to see you all love each other so much.  Aiden scoops you up off the floor and hugs you then you whack him in the head - ha ha!  But he just adores you!  Brennan gets mad because every time he lays down beside you to have a chat or to play Tate the baby hog comes running up and gets in between you both.  :)

You can sit up fairly well by yourself but always face plant to the side when you try to reach over for something.  We haven't given up the baby carrier yet, even though I think you are ready for sitting in carts, because I love being able to grab it and carry you in to the store without having to unstrap you from the bigger car seat.  You are still light enough to carry around in it, too.  With your brothers I was always very ready to move them up because they were such lugs. Not you, Loulie Girl!  You are my little peanut, my runt like Papa called me.  I did promise your seat to someone else, though, and they will be wanting it soon so I'm going to have to give it up sooner rather than later. Not ready to say goodbye to that baby stage yet, though.

You are a mover, Girl!  You are full fledged army crawling now!  And you get up on all fours and rock back and forth a bit.  You started that Sunday and I figured by week's end you'd be taking a few little 'crawls' but so far today, Wednesday, you haven't.  There's still a few days left in the week, right? By the time I write your 8 month update you'll be crawling, I'm sure of it!  You want to go go go, being held in one place chilling just isn't your thing.  I'd love to say you like relaxing on my lap but nope, you need to be up and bouncing.  Daddy can get you to sit still with him, that's probably because he's more calm than I am and you can feel that.

You are the happiest girl but you let us know when you are mad!  It lasts a total of 7 seconds then you are back to being happy again.  When you have cried actual, real tears, your sweet little eyes get all red and you have the prettiest sad face I've ever seen - I just have to giggle and smother you with kisses because it's so darn cute!

Your hair is getting a little longer, a little fuller, but by no means is there enough to put a barrette in yet.  That's ok, we love your headbands!  Something silly I want to tell you about - you are 7 months old and EVERY SINGLE DAY OF YOUR LIFE you've had pink on.  Whether it be in your outfit, your socks or your headband.  It sounds silly but I have wanted YOU for so long that I feel I MUST have pink on you.  Can you feel how loved you are, Tenley? Because you are!  You were wanted so badly and now here you are.  I pray you always feel how loved and wanted you are.

Now for your stats.
Weight: 17.4lbs
Height: 27 1/2" (crude measurement)
Clothes: 6-9 months clothes (I can't believe you wear the size that correlates to your age!!!)
Diapers: Huggies or Pampers, size 2 (this blows my mind, too! You are a little girl!)

I have had some people say you are big for your age and I just have to blink in amazement at them.  Are they looking at the same little girl I am?  You are perfect, no matter your size, but you are small!  They must be nuts is all I can say.  Others coo over how little you are.  Big, little or in between you are my Tenley Lou and I love you completely!

Cheers to another month of firsts, lasts, and everything else!  I love you sweet little Princess!